Thursday, September 10, 2009

Kessel? Let's go already...

September 10, 2009, and the biggest lingering questions still seems to be what is happening with Phil "Deke" Kessel. Is he staying? Is he going? Clearly the Leafs want him, but haven't we been hearing that for months?

Anyone that has ever sat within earshot of 311 knows my personal feelings. Phil's got to go. Yes he is 21, very young with what everyone calls "huge upside." No doubt he is a brave kid, coming back after cancer at age 19. That being said, I just can't deal with him. Yes he put in 36 goals last year. However, I just have the burning vision in my head, seared in my memory of the "Phil move". For anyone that has been going to B's games longer than just last season, you can remember this:

Phil gets the puck, he skates over the red line, maybe even the blue line. Doesn't shoot. Tries his "deke" move on the defender, and loses the puck. Once again, not shooting. When he fires the puck he can score, he just tries too much for that move. Also, the Montreal series 2 years ago where Julien benched him (one of the greatest coaching moves in hockey history). Why did he bench him? He didn't have the fire, wouldn't hit anyone, and came back and played his tail off after that. The kid always needs a fire lit under him. Yes, he is talented. Yes, he is young. Dare, I say this, I'll take Krejci on my team any day of the week over Deke.

Plus- if he goes to Toronto, he won't succeed. I know Leafs fans have a grand history, Maple Leaf Gardens, etc. But, let's face it. Leafs fans are the hockey equivalent of Chicago Cubs fans. Doom will happen to Phil if he goes north.

Well, just a few more weeks until the greatest season of them all. This year should be a dandy, and a ton of fun. After last year hockey is clearly back in Boston bringing with it the good (great crowds, people talking about the B's everywhere) and the bad (pink hats at the game etc). I have NOTHING against true women hockey fans. They are some of the most knowledgeable, coolest chicks going. Seriously. There are a few season ticket holders amongst us, young and old, who are female and are some of the best fans in Boston. But, the Pink Hat invasion could be almost as bad as the idiots from the financial district who come to games in the middle of the first period and know nothing about the game. Ok, I'm off my soap box.

4 comments:

Yes...I totally agree! Phil has one move, the little drag that only works again the Thrashers...the Isles...and all the other shit clubs. When he can show that he can play big boy hockey against the big boy clubs then he'll deserve the $4.5 hes asking for....maybe in 3 to 5 years...but now...He's worth 2 to 2.5....But the Leafs will over pay him and continue to be a joke!

Ha...and yes....Hockey is back, but so are all the bandwagoners! GO! GO! Black and Gold!

Agree that he uses that move too much, but when it works it's always a beautiful goal (see game 6, 2008). He also has one of the more wicked wristers any Bruin has possessed in recent memory, and is a pure scorer.

That said, he doesn't seem to fit the Bruins' mold, or what they want in a player. To me, this says it all: all the Bruins would have to do to keep Kessel is move Michael Ryder, whose stock should be up dramatically after last season. Yet it seems they haven't even thought about doing so. Why? Ryder is one of Julien's guys, takes the body to make plays.

I was pretty adamant at the end of the year that Kessel would be back, but now I'm pretty sure of the opposite. If he goes to TO though, I think it'll be an offer sheet. I can't see Chia trading him to a division rival, esp. when the return likely wouldn't be better than the 3 picks.

Cool blog, BTW. I've sat in 311 a couple of times, back row of the balcony are the best seats in the house.

No doubt about it. When Kess fires that wrister, it's a beauty. It's the fire in his belly that I question.

You know what surprised me the most about watching Ryder last season...his strength. Not just the taking the body, but his pure strength when he has the puck against a defender. That impressed me the most.

Only time will tell what happens w/ Phil. I'm ready for it to be over, since that's all that's being talked about (it seems) nationally about the B's for now.